Drain fitting



Jan. 18, 1955 M, GR N 2,699,555

' DRAIN FITTING Filed May 18, 1949 II U 5 )1 IN V EN TOR.

Martin J Greg/*2 I 1 Q'izijs United States Patent DRAIN FITTING Martin J. Green, Chicago, Ill.

Application May 18, 1949, Serial No. 93,977

8 Claims. (Cl. 4-288) This invention relates in general to valves, and more particularly to a novel drain fitting especially adapted for use in a sink, wash bowl, bath tub or the like.

More specifically, the instant invention comprises a simple drain fitting adapted to be readily mounted in the drain opening of a tub, sink, or the like, and connected by a standard union to the usual drain pipe, and which consists of a lower member defining a substantially semispherical valve seat attachable at its lower end to the drain pipe and adapted to be secured to the sink or tub at its upper end by an annular retaining member, a screen or strainer covering the drain opening defined by the annular retaining member and either secured to or formed integrally with the latter, and a ball or spherical member supported by the valve seat and movable relative thereto between closed and open position by an operating member extending upwardly through the screen, the spherical member having a passage therethrough of at leastas great cross-sectional area as that of the drain pipe.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a simple drain fitting which is cheap to manufacture, easy to install and operate, and comprises a novel valve which gives a leak-proof seal in closed position, is not subject to objectionable wear, eliminates the use of any packing, and offers absolutely no obstruction in open position to the flow of fluid therethrough to the drain pipe.

Another important object of the invention is the provision in such a drain fitting of conveniently disposed, manually operable means for moving the valve member between open and closed positions which cooperates in novel manner with the drain-guarding screen to guide and limit such movements of the valve member.

A further object is to reduce materially the wear attendant with the operation of a drain-closing valve by providing a stationary valve seat of substantial area as as the sole support for a movable valve member in the form of a hollow ball having diametrically opposed apertures through its walls, the relatively light weight of the movable valve member alone being sufiicient to effect a leak-proof seal in closed position.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a drain fitting, embodying the features of the instant invention, and a portion of a sink,.or the like, to which the same is attached, showing the valve in full lines in fully opened position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, on a smaller scale, showing the valve in fully closed position;

Fig. 3 is a top plate view of the drainfitting of Figs. 1 and 2, with the valve in fully opened position; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail vertical section, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

-Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 11 indicates in general a drain fitting embodying the features of the invention, which is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 as beingmounted in the usual aperture 12 of a sink, wash bowl, bath tub, or the like, 13. This drain fitting 11 comprises a housing or conduit member 14 externally threaded at its lower end at 15 for attachment to the usual waste pipe by means of a suit- 2,699,555 Patented Jan. 18, 1955 ice able union, or the like (not illustrated). The upper portion of the housing 14 is enlarged to provide an interiorly disposed, substantially semi-spherical surface 16 which comprises a stationary valve seat, terminating at its upper end in a horizontally disposed shoulder or surface 17 which preferably is in the plane of the center of the sphere defining the valve seat 16. Above this shoulder 17, the housing 14 is internally threaded at its upper end at 18 and preferably is provided with an annular flange 19 on its outer surface.

An annular retaining member or ring, indicated generally by reference numeral 21, is mounted in the aperture 12 of the sink 13 and is provided with an externally threaded depending flange 22 adapted to be screwed into the internally threaded upper end 18 of the housing 14. As best seen in'Fig. l, the peripheral surface of the upper portion of this retaining ring 21 preferably is shaped to conform to the configuration of that portion of the sink 13 defining the aperture 12, and terminates adjacent the upper threaded portion of the depending flange 22 in a horizontally disposed shoulder 23. Screwing of the retaining ring 21 into the threaded portion 18 of the housing 14 thus will rigidly connect the drain fitting 11 to the sink, or the like, 13, and it is preferred that a suitable gasket 24 be interposed between the upper end surface of the housing 14 and the shoulder 23 of the annular retaining member to insure against any leakage at such point: of connection between the drain fitting and the sink. It will be understood, of course, that the particular shape or dimensions of these upper portions of the retaining ring 21 and housing 14, including the flange 19, will be dictated by the size and shape of the aperture 12 and form no part of the present invention, except for their function of suitably attaching the drain fitting to the sink, or the like.

Freely mounted on stationary valve seat 16, is a movable valve member 25 in the form of a hollow ball or sphere having an outer diameter which is the same as the inner diameter of the shoulder 17 and semi-spherical surface 16 of the housing 14. This hollow, spherical valve member 25 is cut through at diametrically opposite points to provide inlet and outlet apertures 26 and 27, respectively, and has opposite sector portions thereof cut oif to define upper and lower surfaces 28 and 29, respectively, which are parallel to each other and normal to the common axis of the apertures 26 and 27. The apertures 26 and 27 are of the same diameter, which is substantially greater than the inner diameter of the lower end or conduit portion of the housing 14, and the distance between the parallel surfaces 23 and 29 (as best seen in Fig. 2) is substantially greater than this interior diameter of the lower end of the housing. While it is preferred that this movable valve member 25 be in the form of a hollow ball or sphere as herein illustrated, the same may be constructed from a solid sphere with a single bore extending therethrough in lieu of the apertures 26 and 27, if desired, and it may be molded, centrifically cast, stamped, spun, or formed in any other suitable manner. Likewise, while it is preferred that this movable valve member 25 be made of brass, it and the other parts of the fitting 11 may be constructed of any other suitable material.

The inner surface of the depending flange 22 of the annular retaining member 21 preferably is given substantially the same curvature as the semi-spherical valve seat 16, but this depending flange is so dimensioned with relation to the other parts of fitting 11 that this curved inner surface thereof normally will not contact the outer surface of the movable valve member 25, when the parts are operatively assembled, so that the valve member 25 is supported only by the valve seat 16 and is freely rotatable thereon. The upper surface of the annular retaining member 21 (as best seen in Fig. l) is provided with a recess 31 to the bottom horizontal surface of which is attached the marginal flange 32 of a perforated guard or screen 33, as by means of suitable screws 34 (Fig. 3). The main body portion of this perforated guard or screen 33 is dome-shaped, curving upwardly from the marginal flange 32 in a spherical are having a radius somewhat greater than that of the valve'seat 16 and valve member 25 and concentrically disposed with relation to the latter. This main body portion of the guard 33, in addition to a plurality of suitable apertures or perforations 35, also is provided with a transversely extending slot 36 terminating at its opposite ends at the inner edge of the marginal flange 33. a

As best seen in Fig. l, the normally upper edge of the movable valve member 25, defined by the surface 28, is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed slots or recesses 37 into which are press-fitted the depending ends of a valve-actuating member 38. This valve-actuating member 38 preferably comprises a thin strip of metal of slightly greater width than that of the transverse slot 3.6, as shown in Fig. 4, and is curved to form a substantial continuation of the outer surface of the spherical valve member 25. Adjacent its right-hand end, viewing Fig. l, the valve actuating member 38 is bent outwardly and back upon itself to form a handle portion 39, and that part of the member 38 so forming this handle portion 39 is laterally reduced to a width less than that of the slot 36 and extends outwardly therethrough (Fig. 4).

The normal position of the movable valve member .25 is illustrated in Fig. 1, wherein its apertures 26, 27 are vertically aligned with the bore or lower outlet portion of the housing '14. While the valve seat 16 is the sole support of the valve member 25, movement of the latter is limited by the handle portion 39 of the valve-actuating member 38 in cooperation with the marginal flange portion 32 and the slot 36 of the perforated guard or screen 33. Thus only counter-clockwise movement of the valve 25 is permitted from its position of Fig. 1, and it may be moved therefrom by means of the handle 39 to its closed position of Fig. 2, being limited in such closing movement by contact of the handle 39 with the marginal flange 32 at the left-hand end of the slot 36. In this closed position of Fig. 2, the lower wall portion of the valve 25 cooperates with the valve seat 16 to provide a leak-proof seal to prevent drainage of any fluid in the sink, or the like, 13 to the drain pipe to which the lower, threaded end 15 of the housing 14 is attached. Even if the valve member 25 is made of a very thin construction from a light-weight material, it has been found that its weight alone is sufficient to effect such sealing action, and because of such mounting of this valve member 25, substantially no wearing of the parts will result from operation thereof. As will be seen from Figs. 1 and 2, the diameter of the apertures 26, 27 in relation to that of the lower end portion of the housing 14 is such as to permit free flow of fluid through the drain fitting 11, while the distance between the plane surfaces 28 and 29 of the movable valve member is great enough to insure suflicient surface contact between the valve 25 and the lower or marginal portion of the stationary valve seat 16 defining the upper end of the lower conduit portion of the housing 14, when the valve is in its closed position, to prevent any-leakage through the drain fitting.

In addition to its valve-actuating and movement-limiting functions in cooperation with the screen 33, the member 38 also functions to close the transverse slot 36 when the valve is in its open position of Figs. 1 and 3. It will be appreciated, of course, that this valve-actuating member 38 may be formed differently than herein illustrated and that the specific manner of attachment thereof to valve member 25 may be varied in any desired manner. For example, only that end of the valve-actuating member 38 adjacent its handle portion 39 need be secured to the valve member 25. It will also be appreciated that the perforated guard or screen 33 may be formed integrally with the annular retaining member or ring 21. In order to prevent accidental displacement of the valve 25 from its closed position of Fig. 2, however, it is preferred that the handle 39 not be extended above the upper surface of the ring 21 when the valve is in such closed position. This is the primary reason why the recess 31 has been provided in the retaining ring 21.

'It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A drain fitting for a sink or the like having a drain aperture therein, comprising a vertical conduit member having a stationary valve seat adjacent its upper end, a supporting ring disposed in said aperture and removably secured to the upper end of said conduit member, a protective screen for said conduit member carried by said supporting ring, a ball valve movably supported by said valve seat in spaced relationship to said supporting ring and having a passage therethrough, and manually operable means secured to said ball valve for moving the opened position with said passage axially aligned with said conduit.

3. In a drain fitting, a vertically disposed conduit hav ing an annular valve seat of substantially semi-spherical shape adjacent the upper end thereof, a spherical valve resting upon and supported solely by said valve seat and having a passage therethrough of at least as great cross-sectional area as that of said conduit, said valve being freely manually rotatable on said valve seat be tween a closed position to seal said conduit and a fully opened position with said passage axially aligned with said conduit, a perforated guard for said conduit secured thereto in spaced relationship to said spherical valve and having a slot extending transversely therethrough, and an operating member secured to said valve and extending through said slot for cooperation therewith to limit movements of said valve relative to said valve seat.

4. In a drain fitting, a conduit member having an annular valve seat, a valve member supported by said valve seat, a perforated member secured to said conduit member in spaced relation to said valve member and having a transversely disposed slot extending therethrough, and.

an operating member secured to said valve member having a handle portion of lesser width than said slot extending outwardly therethrough for moving said valve member relative to said seat between open and closed positions and cooperating with said perforated member to guide such movements of said valve member, the main body portion of said operating member being of greater width than said slot and disposed between said valve member and said perforated member to close said slot when the valve is in open position.

5. A drain fitting for a sink or the like having a drain aperture therein, comprising a vertical conduit member having a stationary valve seat adjacent its upper end in the form of an annular, semi-spherical surface, a supporting ring disposed in said aperture and removably secured to the upper end of said conduit member, a protective screen for said conduit member secured to said supporting ring and having a transversely extending slot therein, a ball valve movably supported by said valve seat in spaced relationship to said supporting ring and having a passage therethrough, and an operating member secured to said ball valve having a handle. portion of lesser width than said slot extending outwardly therethrough for moving said valve relative to said seat betweenopen and closed positions and cooperating with said protective screen to guide such movements of said valve, said operating member having a main body portion of greater width than said slot and disposed between said valve and said screen to close said slot when the valve is in open position.

6. A drain fitting according to claim 5, wherein the upper surface of said supporting ring is recessed and said protective screen is dome-shaped, whereby the handle portion of said operating member will be disposed in said recess below the upper marginal surface of said supporting ring when the valve is in either open or closed position.

'7. A drain fitting according to claim 6,'wherein said operating member comprises a unitary metal strip seball valve resting upon and supported solely by said valve seat and having a drain passage therethrough of at least as great cross-sectional area as that of said con duit, said valve being freely manually rotatable on said valve seat between a closed position to seal said conduit and an open position with said drain passage substantially axially aligned with said conduit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 743,511 Huxley Nov. 10, 1903 6 Delaney Nov. 4, Renner July 21, Canning Aug. 22, Lucke Aug. 22, Klimberg Feb. 18, Blickman June 26, Cornell Sept. 25, Woodrum Sept. 7, Kersten Dec. 26, 

